A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has struck Colombia, killing at least 18 people and leaving buildings collapsed across parts of the country.
The early-morning Colombia earthquake struck on Monday, with the epicentre located in Chocó province in western Colombia at a depth of about 100 kilometres.
At least 18 people were confirmed dead in the city of Pereira, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio, describing the situation as “critical”.
Emergency teams were deployed to search for survivors and assist victims trapped in collapsed buildings, while officials assessed the scale of the destruction.
The governor of Chocó said there was serious damage in the provincial capital, Quibdó, where videos showed collapsed buildings. The number of casualties in the area was not immediately known.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 20 buildings had collapsed in Colombia’s third-largest city, with people trapped and “major damage” being assessed using drones.
Images also showed damage in cities including Manizales, while six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, according to the civil aeronautics agency.
The earthquake was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela and prompted evacuations from buildings in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá.
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán said the damage in the capital appeared limited to cracks in the facades of houses and buildings.
Residents described the intensity of the quake.
“There is no electricity or cell phone coverage. It was strong, really strong. Things fell in my house,” Martha Estrada, a 66-year-old resident of the Eje Cafetero region, told AFP.
“The quake was very, very strong,” said Valeria Polo, a 29-year-old content creator in Bogotá.
In the capital, residents reportedly ran into the streets in their pyjamas as emergency sirens sounded.
President Abelardo de la Espriella said he would travel to the earthquake-hit region as emergency operations continued.
Officials said there was no immediate tsunami threat.
The disaster comes weeks after twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on June 24, killing more than 6,000 people and causing widespread property damage.
